March 13, 2023 , Turin, Italy – Today, the Alfa Romeo team welcomed F1 driver Valtteri Bottas to the Stellantis &You showroom in Turin, where Bottas collected his new Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA in distinctive red. The limited-edition car is the most powerful Alfa Romeo ever built and only 500 units are available.
Alfa Romeo’s top representatives were present to celebrate the delivery of the car to the Finnish driver: Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo, Cristiano Fiorio, F1 manager, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, head of Alfa Romeo design, and Eligio Catarinella, head of marketing and communication.
During the meeting, Bottas and Alfa Romeo’s management had the opportunity to discuss upcoming projects in which the driver is personally involved.
Cristiano Fiorio, Alfa Romeo F1 Manager: “This is a special moment for Alfa Romeo. Valtteri Bottas is an exceptional professional. A long career in F1 studded with 10 grand prix wins is evidence. His desire to join the inner and exclusive circle of Giulia GTA customers fills us with pride. In a world of business often driven by contractual obligations, today we are celebrating something different: Valtteri has shown us that sometimes passion drives our choices. Welcome Valtteri to the heart of Alfa Romeo.”
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Driver: “I’m clearly a lifelong car enthusiast. But most of all I love the Alfa Romeo brand. It is an honor for me to be an ambassador of the brand and now to become a customer, an owner of one of the 500 Giulia GTAs. It’s a technically excellent vehicle, realized in collaboration with Sauber Engineering by leveraging the expertise and technical know-how that comes directly from Formula 1. For car and motorsport enthusiasts it represents so much more. It revives one of the legends of motorsports, the 1965 Giulia GTA, and perfectly embodies the brand’s DNA, passion for motorsport, driving pleasure, and a unique and distinctive styling appeal.”
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA has revived one of motoring’s legends and a milestone in the brand’s history: the 1965 Giulia GTA. The ultimate expression of Alfa Romeo’s unique ability to combine style and performance, this model represents an authentic return to Alfa Romeo’s roots, founded in the world of performance and grand touring.
The Giulia GTA is a high-performance vehicle based on the outstanding Giulia Quadrifoglio. Thanks to the extensive adoption of ultralight materials, the Giulia GTA benefits from a weight reduction of up to 100 kg (220 lbs.) compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio and is equipped with an upgraded version of Alfa Romeo’s 2.9 V-6 Bi-Turbo at 540 hp.
Alfa Romeo engineers improved aerodynamics and handling, but above all reduced weight, under the same guidelines followed for the 1965 Giulia GTA. To achieve these goals, extensive use of carbon-fiber components and composite materials played a role. Aerodynamics were specially designed to increase downforce. The technical know-how came directly from Formula 1 thanks to the synergy with Sauber Engineering.
Alfa Romeo engineers were able to benefit from the expertise and facilities of Sauber Engineering. The Swiss company, with more than 50 years of experience in motorsports, 27 years in F1, has gained in-depth know-how on aerodynamics thanks also to a proprietary wind tunnel that is among the most advanced in Europe. The Sauber team actively participated in the design, prototyping and manufacturing of aerodynamic components for the new Giulia GTA.
GTA and Autodelta, a pairing packed with history and sporting successes
The initials GTA represent “Gran Turismo Alleggerita” (“Gran Turismo Lite”), invented in 1965 for the Giulia Sprint GTA, a specific version derived from the Sprint GT. The vehicle was created for racing and was unveiled at the Amsterdam Motor Show that year. Success in competitions came very soon after: three consecutive “Challenge Europeo Marche,” dozens of national championships and hundreds of single races all over the world. Since then, the GTA has become a historic marker, as an undisputed icon of Biscione sportsmanship, the power of its initials persuades the public to identify Alfa Romeo sports cars in general simply as “GTA.”
Alfa Romeo
Born in 1910 in Milan, Italy, Alfa Romeo has designed and crafted some of the most stylish and sporty cars in automotive history. That tradition lives on today as Alfa Romeo continues to take a unique and innovative approach to automobiles. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio sets a benchmark in performance, style and technology in an SUV. The award-winning Alfa Romeo Giulia delivers race-inspired performance, advanced technologies and an exhilarating driving experience to the premium midsize sedan segment. In early 2023, Alfa Romeo will offer its first compact SUV with the all-new Tonale. The globally available Tonale is part of a radical evolution taking place at Alfa Romeo, which looks ahead to a new era of electrification and connectivity. Alfa Romeo is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.
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